EP2711314B1 - Method and device for transporting containers filled with fluid - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a method and a device for transporting containers filled with liquid, preferably for transporting drinks containers filled with a beverage, according to the preamble of claims 1 and 8.

State of the art

It is known to transport containers filled with liquid, for example filled beverage containers, via transport stars, rotary machines, conveyor belts, holding clamps or other conveying devices in a bottling plant between the different treatment stations. It is known to transport the filled containers from the respective filling station to a closer, so that the filled containers can be closed with a closure, for example a screw cap, a crown cap, a sealing plate or a roll-up closure.

When transporting containers in a beverage filling machine and especially when transporting filled containers, it may happen that the liquid in the container or the liquid contained in the container swallows on further transport or changing the transport direction and corresponding to the outside of the mouth of the container and the outside Contaminated the respective container.

Especially with large, unstable containers, such as large-volume PET containers with relatively large mouth openings, which are used, for example, for filling milk, there is correspondingly the problem of preventing contamination of the outer mouth region and the outside of the container. By product residues in the mouth area, it can namely nucleation between the mouth of the container and the screwed Shutter come. However, a cleaning of the corresponding mouth region is difficult to perform, since flushing the mouth region and rinse medium could be entered into the container, which is not desirable.

This problem of overspching of contents taken up in a container is particularly conspicuous, for example, in the case of 1-gallon canisters for milk or for juices, which are very labile and which are filled simultaneously with a very high liquid level or very high filling level with the respective product.

In order to avoid spilling over or filling of filling product from such containers, it is known from the prior art to seal the corresponding orifice through the respective filling member and possibly to suck off the foam formed during the filling in order to achieve a clean filling result.

For example, from the US 3,945,174 For example, a method is known for closing flexible plastic containers for filling milk, the containers usually holding half a gallon or one full gallon of milk. In order to be able to provide the optically visible filling level independently of the respective shrinkage of the containers or the container tolerances, this teaching proposes that a side wall of the container be pressed in such a way that the liquid level is constant in each case.

The US 4,338,765 A describes a method and an apparatus according to the preamble of claims 1 and 8. From the WO 2011/007370 A1 For example, a method and apparatus for transporting bottles are known.

Presentation of the invention

Starting from the known prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for transporting liquid-filled containers, by means of which the filling result can be further improved.

This object is achieved by a method for transporting liquid-filled containers having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the method will become apparent from the dependent claims.

Accordingly, the method of transporting liquid-filled containers, preferably for transporting liquid-filled containers having a flexible bottom, comprises the steps of lowering the liquid level of the liquid in the filled container, and transporting the container with lowered liquid level. The lowering of the liquid level is achieved by a partial contact of the bottom of the container on a container support.

Characterized in that the liquid level of the liquid is first lowered in the filled container, and then the container is transported with lowered liquid level, the tendency to spill or spill of the liquid received in the container during transport is significantly reduced. In this way, a Verschwappen or spilling the liquid received in the container from the mouth is reduced or completely avoided, so that a costly external cleaning of the mouth area and arranged on the mouth area external thread is not necessary.

Thus, the filling result over the conventional transport devices can be improved. Furthermore, the transport can also be carried out at increased speeds compared to the conventional speeds, so that the throughput in a bottling plant can be increased.

In addition, a sealing of the mouth area with the respective filling member by lowering the liquid level during transport is no longer necessary, so that the favored for hygienic reasons Freistrahlfüller can now be used in connection with very flexible, large-volume beverage containers. Also, in this way, the filling result can be significantly improved over the previously known filling method, as by the lack of contact of the filling member with the mouth of the container to be filled a contamination of the mouth area can be further reduced or completely excluded.

When using free-jet filling devices, however, the formation of foam or bubbles occurs frequently and depending on the product. By lowering the liquid level of the liquid in the filled container during transport of the container, an overflow of the bubbles or the foam can be avoided, so that contamination of the mouth region can be reduced or completely avoided.

For further treatment of the respective container, the liquid level is then preferably raised again. Such an increase of the liquid level after the transport of the container with lowered liquid level can be carried out, for example, for closing the respective container. It is particularly preferred if the liquid level for all containers, regardless of their respective tolerance, is raised to the same filling level, so that the sealed containers are filled to the same container height.

The transporting of the container with a lowered liquid level preferably also includes a change of direction and / or a transfer from a first transport device to a second transport device, for example from a first transport star to a second transport star, or from a turntable or conveyor belt to a transport star. By lowering the liquid level of the liquid in the container filled with the liquid, a spilling over of the liquid can be reduced or avoided even with a more or less abrupt change of direction.

Preferably, prior to lowering the liquid level of the liquid in the filled container, the container is filled with a probe filler up to a predetermined height. In an alternative, the container is filled prior to lowering the liquid level or simultaneously with the lowering of the liquid level by means of a volume-controlled Freistrahlfüllers.

Lowering the liquid level while simultaneously filling the container with a free-jet filler can compensate for the formation of foam or bubbles, which inevitably occurs in the case of a free-jet filler, due to the lowering of the liquid level.

In a preferred variant of the method, the lowering and / or raising of the liquid level is achieved by deforming the flexible bottom of a container accordingly. Here, for example, to lower the liquid level, a bulging of the flexible bottom in the direction of gravity, ie down, allowed, for example, characterized in that a container support is geometrically designed accordingly so that it does not prevent the buckling of the container or the container bottom down. In other words, the corresponding container support is not flat over the entire surface, but in turn has indentations, depressions or other recesses, such that the container bottom can bulge downwards. For this purpose, it is particularly preferred, the corresponding container support by rails or a support ring, which is substantially the diameter or corresponds to the contours of the filled container, form, and form the central region in a plane arranged below the support surface.

In an alternative, the container support may also be concave or any other polygonal, elliptical or otherwise non-planar manner formed with a depression to allow buckling of the bottom of the container.

Preferably, the respective deformation of the bottom of the filled container is adapted to the respective process state or the respective processing position within a beverage filling plant. For example, at the beginning of a filling process, for example with a free-jet filler, a container support may be flat over its entire surface, and then allow the container bottom to lower during the course and, in particular, towards the end of the filling process, for example by a central region of the previously entire surface evaded trained flat tray pad down. In a later stage of processing or at a later processing station, the liquid level in the lowered position is held during the transport of the container, for example, from a filling station to a capper, characterized in that the bottom area remains deflected downwards accordingly. For example, during transport of the container, the container may be guided in its bottom region only by means of a ring acting on the edge, or via rails arranged parallel to one another, so as to allow the bottom to bulge downwards and correspondingly lower the liquid level.

In a subsequent closing station, the liquid level is then raised again after being transported in order to provide a uniform level of the closed, filled containers. In this way, the baggy bottom portion of the container can be reshaped again so that the filling level prevailing in the mouth corresponds to a certain predetermined level. For this purpose, the corresponding reshaping of the soil can be carried out either via a controlled restoring agent, or else the formerly not completely flat container support is transferred into a full-area flat container support. Then the containers can be provided with the respective closures.

In a further development, the bottom of the container and thereby also the liquid level of the container can be lowered by partially or completely lifting the container from a corresponding container support. For this purpose, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the container can be gripped in his neck area, and, similar to the so "neck handling" in PET bottles, to be transported to the next treatment station. Also in this way a largely slosh-free and contamination-free transporting the respective container can be achieved.

The above-described method for transporting liquid-filled containers is preferably carried out with PE containers having a filling volume of more than 1.5 l, preferably more than 3 l, particularly preferably a filling volume of one-half or one full gallon.

The object described above is further achieved by a device for transporting liquid-filled containers having the features of claim 8. Preferred embodiments of the device will become apparent from the corresponding dependent claims.

Accordingly, the device for transporting liquid-filled containers, preferably in a beverage filling plant, comprises a lowering device for lowering the liquid level in the container, and a conveying device for conveying the container with a lowered liquid level.

By providing the lowering device for lowering the liquid level in the container it is achieved that a transport of the respective container is made possible without an excessive entrapment of the liquid received in the container occurs or such a spilling or overflow of the liquid can be completely avoided.

By means of a lifting device, the liquid level can be raised again after transport or at the subsequent treatment station to perform a corresponding treatment of the container can. For example, it can be achieved by lifting the liquid level that all sealed containers have the same liquid level.

Preferably, the lowering device and / or the lifting device is designed so that it acts directly on the flexible bottom of the respective container.

Brief description of the figures

Figur 1

eine schematischen Seitenansicht eines Behälters auf einer Vorrichtung zum Transportieren des Behälters in einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Figur 2

eine schematische Detailansicht eines Behälters während des Transportes bei einem Richtungswechsel;

Figur 3

eine schematische Draufsicht auf den Übergabebereich zwischen einem Füllerkarussell und einem Auslaufstern in einer Getränkeabfüllanlage;

Figur 4

eine schematische Draufsicht auf einen Ausschnitt einer Getränkeabfüllanlage, welche ein Füllerkarussell und einen Verschließer umfasst;

Figur 5

eine schematische Darstellung einer Anhebvorrichtung zum Anheben des Flüssigkeitsspiegels in einem Behälter; und

Figur 6

eine schematische Seitendarstellung einer Transportvorrichtung in einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel.

Preferred further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Showing:

FIG. 1

a schematic side view of a container on a device for transporting the container in a first embodiment;

FIG. 2

a schematic detail view of a container during transport in a change of direction;

FIG. 3

a schematic plan view of the transfer area between a filler carousel and an outlet star in a beverage filling plant;

FIG. 4

a schematic plan view of a section of a beverage filling plant, which comprises a filler carousel and a capper;

FIG. 5

a schematic representation of a lifting device for lifting the liquid level in a container; and

FIG. 6

a schematic side view of a transport device in a further embodiment.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. In this case, identical, similar or equivalent elements in the different figures are denoted by identical reference numerals and a repeated description of these elements will be omitted in the following description in part in order to avoid redundancies.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a transport device 1 for transporting a container filled with liquid 2. The container 2 is for example a made of a PE material container with a filling volume of one gallon (about 3.7 l), which has a mouth 20 with a relatively large diameter, and a handle portion 22 has. The material of the container 2, in the illustrated embodiment, preferably a PE material, is designed with such a small wall thickness that the container 2 is relatively flexible. In particular, the bottom 24 of the container 2 is so flexible that it, when not supported, migrates downwards. In FIG. 1 an already downwardly emigrated bottom 24 of the container 2 is shown, wherein the original flat position is indicated schematically by the dashed line 26.

The transport device 1 comprises a container support 3, on which the containers 2 are transported. The container 2 stands on the container support 3 and is transported on this by a section of the beverage filling plant. For example, the container support 3 is arranged below the filling valves in a filler carousel.

By filling the liquid into the container 2 through the mouth 20, the bottom 24 of the container 2 bulges downwards. The container support 3 in this case has a lowering device, which in the in FIG. 1 shown embodiment is formed by two mutually parallel rails 30, 32 are provided, which support the container 2 at the bottom 24 only in the edge region 28. Accordingly, at least the central region of the bottom 24 of the container 2 is exposed so freely that the bottom 24 can dodge downwards relative to the flat layer 26.

The lowering device comprising the two rails 30, 32 accordingly causes a liquid level 4 in the container to be lowered from an initial level 40, in which the bottom 24 was in the flat position indicated by the dashed line 26, to a lowered level 42 in that the floor 24 sags in the lowering device comprising the two rails 30, 32.

By lowering the liquid level 4 from the initial level 40 to the lowered level 42 can be achieved that in the transport of the container 2 on the transport device 1, the tendency for liquid spills out of the mouth 20 and accordingly both the mouth area and the rest contaminated container 2, is significantly reduced compared to the output level of the liquid level.

The lowering device comprising the two rails 30, 32 may already be present during the filling process or be actuated such that the bulging of the Bottom 24 of the container 2 automatically takes place during the filling process with the liquid. Accordingly, the lowering of the liquid level from the initial level 40 to the lowered level 42 takes place continuously during filling, wherein the actual lowering is detectable only after completion of the filling process. This process is particularly suitable in connection with a volume-controlled or a weight-controlled filling operation, in which a predetermined filling volume or a predetermined filling weight of the liquid in the container 2 to be filled is to be achieved.

In an alternative, not shown embodiment, the transport method and the device for transport is also suitable in combination with a probe filler, which can reach a predetermined liquid level in the container 2. When using a probe filler, however, it is necessary that the lowering of the liquid level from the initial level 40 to the lowered level 42 takes place only after completion of the filling process, in order to provide any false level measurements.

FIG. 2 shows in a detailed view of the container 2 with its mouth region 20, wherein both the initial level 40, and the lowered level 42 are shown. The container 2 is in FIG. 2 shown in a state in which it undergoes a lateral acceleration, for example when changing the transport direction or at a Kreisführung, such as occurs in a rotary filler. Accordingly, the liquid arranged in the container 2 is deflected due to the lateral acceleration, as in FIG. 2 can be seen. Spilling over the liquid in the container 2, as well as the also schematically indicated foam 44, can be correspondingly reduced by the lowering of the liquid level from the initial level 40 to the lowered level 42, or completely prevented. Accordingly, a contamination of the outer region of the mouth 20 can be largely prevented or even completely avoided when the liquid level is lowered from the initial level 40 to the lowered level 42.

The lowering of the liquid level results in an increase in volume of the container 2 by the bulging of the bottom 24 of the container 2 down.

FIG. 3 shows in a schematic plan view of a beverage filling plant, comprising a filler carousel 50, which has a plurality of circumferential container supports 3, which each, as in FIG. 1 schematically shown in sectional view, with two mutually parallel rails 30, 32 are provided. Furthermore, an outlet star 52 is provided, by means of which the containers 2 filled in the filler carousel 50 are discharged from the filler carousel 50. Below the outlet star 52, a corresponding overthrust 34 is provided as a further container support, which has two laterally arranged rails 36, 38. On this Überub 34, the container 2, as shown for example at position b), guided so that it rests only in its edge region 28 on the rails 36, 38. Accordingly, this also results in a sagging of the bottom 24 of the container 2 and thus a reduction of the liquid level in the container 2. In this way, a spilling is avoided even with this change in the transport direction.

In position a), the receptacle of the container 2 on the container support 3 is again shown schematically so that the edge region 28, which rests on the mutually parallel rails 30, 32, is clearly visible. Due to the rest of the edge region 28 of the container 2 only on the rails 30, 32 and correspondingly no full-surface bearing of the bottom 24 is a lowering of the liquid level in the in the FIGS. 1 and 2 achieved shown. This lowering of the liquid level is maintained even in the region of the outlet star 52 by the two parallel rails 36, 38. In this case, the geometry is chosen so that the sagging portion of the bottom 24 of the container 2 can essentially remain in its hanging down shape and accordingly also the. In the actual pushing down the container 2 from the container support 3 on the rails 36, 38 Liquid level remains in the moment of change of direction in its lowered state.

The rails 36, 38 of the overhang 34 are arranged in a similar or at the same distance, as the two rails 30, 32 of the container support 3. However, they attack the container bottom approximately offset by 180 °.

In FIG. 4 a further exemplary representation of a beverage filling plant is shown, wherein again a filler carousel 50 is provided, which serves for filling the container with the corresponding filling liquid, and which, for example, in the FIGS. 1 and 3 already shown container supports 3, which has the lateral, mutually parallel rails 30, 32. Furthermore, an outlet star 52 is provided, which guides the containers on a push-on 34 on corresponding rails 36, 38 so that the liquid level is not raised again, but remains in a lowered level. A capper 54 connects to the outlet star 52. In the area of the capper, a transition region 6 is provided, which has a lifting device 60 for lifting the liquid level.

The lifting device 60 is in FIG. 5 shown by a sliding wedge, which raises the level of the central part between the two rails 36, 38 to a full surface level. In other words, the bottom bulged bottom 24 of a container 2, such as in FIG. 1 is shown, via the two rails 36, 38 led to the lifting device 60, where the soil is then raised again to a full-surface, level level and, accordingly, the liquid level in the container is raised back to the Ausgangswerf.

By raising the liquid level, a higher liquid level within the container 2 can be achieved when closing the container in the capper 54. Furthermore, the wedge may alternatively be designed so that a certain filling level is reached in the mouth of the filled container. This can be achieved by selectively raising the soil - either for a particular batch of containers, or individually for each individual container. In this way it can be achieved that a constant filling level is achieved, regardless of the particular configuration of the batch of containers.

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a lowering device, wherein the container 2 in turn is first transported on a container support 3, which is executed here over the entire surface and plan. However, the container 2 is raised to lower the liquid level, for example on a neck ring 29, in the mouth region 20 and / or in the grip region 22 via corresponding lifting devices 70, 72 or 74. The lifting device 70, which engages under the neck ring 20, the lifting device 72, which engages in the thread in the mouth region 20 of the container 2, and / or the lifting device 74, which engages in the grip portion 22 of the container 2, either together or in any combination be provided. It is essential that the labile container 2, for example, a PE container with a content of, for example, a gallon, is raised so that its bottom 24 in the in FIG. 6 Dented form shown in dashed lines is brought in such a way that the filling level or the liquid level in the mouth drops. A subsequent lifting of the liquid level can be achieved by placing the container 2 again on a flat container support 3.

Bezuaszeichenliste

1

transport device

2

container

20

muzzle

22

grip area

24

baggy ground

26

flat bottom

28

border area

3

container support

30

rail

32

rail

34

overfeed

36

rail

38

rail

4

liquid level

40

output level

42

lowered level

44

foam

50

filler carousel

52

outlet star

54

capper

6

Transition area

60

elevating device

70

lifting device

72

lifting device

74

lifting device

Claims (9)

1. Method for transporting containers (2) filled with fluid, which have a flexible base (24), the method comprising the following steps:

   - lowering the fluid level (4) of the fluid in the container (2) filled with fluid; and

   - transporting the container (2) with the lowered fluid level (42);

   characterized in that
   lowering of the fluid level (4) is achieved by a partial surface contact of the base (24) of the container (2) to a container support (3).
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that after transporting the fluid level (4) for further treatment of the container (2) is raised again, preferably the fluid level (4) for closing the container (2) is raised to a uniform level.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that transporting of the container (2) comprises a change in direction and/or the transfer from a first transport device (50) to a second transport device (52).
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluid level (4) is raised to a predefined level, and then the container (2) is closed.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fluid level (4) is lowered prior to and/or during filling of the container (2) with a fluid.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that lowering and/or raising of the fluid level (4) is achieved by a deformation of a flexible base (24) of the container (2).
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that PE containers having a filling volume of more than 1.5 1, preferably of more than 3 1, particularly preferably of half or a full gallon, are transported.
8. Device (1) for transporting containers (2) filled with fluid, which have a flexible base (24), preferably in a beverage filling plant, the device comprising:

   - a lowering device (30, 32, 34, 36) for lowering the fluid level (4) in the container (2); and

   - a conveying device (50, 52) for conveying the container (2) having a lowered fluid level (4);

   characterized in that
   the lowering device is configured in the form of a partial surface formed container support (30, 32, 36, 38) configured , such that lowering of the fluid level (4) is achieved by a partial surface contact of the base (24) of the container (2) to the container support (3).
9. Device (1) according to Claim 8, characterized in that a raising device (60) for raising the fluid level (40) is disposed downstream of the conveying device (50, 52).

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